Soto leaves game early with right leg injury

By T.R. Sullivan and Corey Brock

March 23, 2014

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Rangers catcher Geovany Soto left Sunday's game against the Padres in the second inning when his right leg locked up on him. Soto was able to walk off the field and to the clubhouse, but he was taken for an MRI exam.

Soto missed three weeks earlier in camp after undergoing surgery to have a bone removed from his left foot. This injury is unrelated.

Soto was behind the plate for two long innings with Joe Saunders on the mound for the Rangers. Saunders gave up five runs in the first inning while throwing 29 pitches. All five runs were unearned because of an error by second baseman Adam Rosales. Saunders threw another 23 pitches in the second inning while giving up four more runs.

Soto left the game after a single by Jedd Gyorko gave the Padres an 8-0 lead. Saunders threw one more pitch that Xavier Nady drove to left-center for a double, and he was then removed in favor of Shawn Tolleson. J.P. Arencibia replaced Soto behind the plate.

T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Postcards from Elysian Fields, and follow him on Twitter @Sullivan_Ranger. Corey Brock is a reporter for MLB.com. Keep track of @FollowThePadres on Twitter.